Nelson Chan says he began photographing his parents simply as a way to spend more time with them. Since he was about 9, his parents spent a lot of time overseas working in Hong Kong to provide for their family of five. Photography became Chan's way of exploring his complicated family dynamic.

Small enclosures line the room, leaving just enough headroom to sit up within the confined walls. Money is as tight as the spaces hidden among multimillion dollar high-rise apartments. In 2009, photographer Brian Cassey flew to Hong Kong, where people were living in cages because of dire economic conditions.

Tyson Wheatley, a Senior Editor for CNN.com, found himself turning to his iPhone to document his new home after relocating to Hong Kong in January. He started out sharing his adventures with family and friends he'd left behind, but found himself quickly connecting with the Instagram community.

Palani Mohan traded his bulky camera for one that weighs less than 5 ounces as he captured the essence of Hong Kong through the lens of an iPhone. At first he thought of the camera as a toy, but now he believes it will be a big part of the future of documentary photography.